138 H. W. KING ON POND LIFE PROM THE WEST INDIES. 



Cyclops swam, with its well-known series of jerks, and larvse 

 of a species of Tipala wriggled their way in the water brought 

 from Port Limon. 



Thus both waters appeared to have a fully-inhabited look 

 about them. The many weeks' oscillation on the sea, the 

 changes of temperature, the altered influences of conditions 

 generally, seeming to produce bat little harm upon the life in 

 the waters, other than upon the higher life of the water plants, 

 which were unable to adapt themselves to the changes, and 

 perished, though the spores of Algge have retained their 

 vitality, and are now germinating among the vegetal decay and 

 extending their long green cells. 



One of the most numerous forms of life in the water from 

 Colon is a worm of the curious form figured (PI. IX., Fig. 1). 

 It lives about the stems, rootlets, and refuse in the water, among 

 which it glides, the hair-like tufts from each annulose aiding 

 it in its motion by fixing on the materials on which it is moving, 

 and the muscular bands proceeding in a zigzag line along each 

 side of the animal, by contracting, causes a serpentine move- 

 ment of the body. Situated at the back of the head are two 

 tufts of hairs which have a very different function to the hairs 

 running along each side of the animal. They do not take part 

 in progression, but, with a strong, nervous impulse, are in a 

 perpetual tremulous vibration when erect, like the antennae of 

 many insects, notably the Ichneumons. They are longer than 

 the other hairs on the body, and are capable of being folded 

 down, either over the back or forward over the head, according 

 to the direction in which the creature is moving. 



The head is tapering, and ends in a long trunk of a very 

 flexible and sensitive nature, capable of being curved or coiled 

 in any direction. The animal uses it mainly for thrusting 

 round stems to aid in drawing itself along, or when the creature 

 is in a vegetable tube, to assist it in making a way, clearing 

 obstructions, and generally feeling its course, and is useful also 

 to assist it up a tube by casting the trunk over the aperture, 

 and assisting in drawing itself out. 



It is curious to observe these creatures making their way 

 along a vegetable tube, feeding now, and then gliding a little 

 way, resting a time, then gliding to fresh provender a little 

 further ofP, in a most happy and contented mood, and living in 



